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EWS

Telling the story of Arkansas Baptists since 1901

Inside: – La. floods: stories of loss, redemption – Thousands to gather at SYATP Sept. 28 – How to respond to ‘taking a knee’ – Christians, be alert; the battle rages – Knowledge a key to safe ministry

Pastor Appreciation Exercising the ‘ministry of encouragement’ page 8

September 22, 2016

Volume 115, Number 19

Baptists to ‘Engage’ at 163rd annual meeting LITTLE ROCK – The 163rd annual meeting of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) is set for Oct. 25-26 at Immanuel Baptist Church, 501 N. Shackleford Road, Little Rock.

The theme for this year’s annual meeting is Engage.

The last year the convention held its annual meeting at Immanuel Baptist was in 2006 when 863 messengers were registered.

As in past years, ABSC Executive Board ministry teams will share testimonies during annual meeting sessions.

Business of the convention will be conducted, including receiving entity reports, election of convention officers and a vote on the 2017 ABSC Cooperative Program (CP) budget of $21 million as well as a vote on increasing the amount Arkansas Baptists send to Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) causes from 43.77 percent to 45.82 percent by 2022.

As reported Aug. 25 in the Arkansas Baptist News, the Executive Board approved a $21 million unified CP budget proposal at its Aug. 16 meeting. The $21 million proposed budget “accurately reflects the current Cooperative Program income of the ABSC,” said J.D. (Sonny) Tucker, ABSC executive director. In past years the convention had proposed budgets that fell short of projections.

If messengers at Arkansas Baptists’ 2016 annual meeting approve the recommendation to increase the amount of CP dollars sent to SBC causes, the ABSC will join 23 state con-

ventions in either achieving or moving closer to a historic 50/50 split in the portion of its CP receipts given to SBC missions and ministries versus what it keeps in the state.

Additionally, the ABSC Nominating Committee will bring recommendations of people to serve on ABSC boards, committees and agencies. Miscellaneous business sessions are set for 2:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25, and 9:10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26.

Convention president Sam Roberts, pastor of First Baptist Church, Stuttgart, will preside over the meeting, and will present the president’s annual message at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25. Roberts, who is filling the unexpired term of Gary Hollingsworth, former pastor of Immanuel Baptist who was elected executive director of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, is expected to be nominated to serve a full term as president.

Speakers/worship

Speakers during the meeting will include Roberts; Chuck Kelly Jr., president, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; Tucker, and Nick Floyd, teaching pastor and Fayetteville campus pastor, Cross Church, Springdale, who will present the convention sermon.

Worship leaders during the meeting will include Scott Quimby, worship leader, First Baptist Church, Stuttgart; David Tatum, worship leader, First Baptist Church, Sherwood; Larry Grayson, a mem-

See ENGAGE page 7

POSTAGE INFORMATION

The 163rd annual meeting of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention will be held Oct. 25-26 at Immanuel Baptist Church, 501 N. Shackleford Road, in Little Rock. Photo by Caleb Yarbrough

‘Medical marijuana’ debate takes center stage in Ark. Nov. 8 election Caleb Yarbrough Arkansas Baptist News SHOULD ARKANSAS legalize medical marijuana?

That was the topic of Arkansas Baptist News (ABN) Podcast 54, which featured a conversation between Melissa Fults, a spokeswoman for Arkansans for Compassionate Care (ACC), and Larry Page, executive director of the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council (AFEC). Bill Bumpas, host of the ABN Podcast, moderated the discussion.

No longer simply a “what if” discussion, medical marijuana legislation similar to the

2016 Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act, which ACC is currently sponsoring and which will appear before Arkansas voters in November, failed by a slender margin in the last election in 2012.

“I feel, as do many others – doctors, nurses and scientists – that cannabis truly is a medicine and that we have so many patients in the state that suffer from illnesses that can be helped with cannabis,” said Fults.

Page said that while he be-

Find your next pastor or staff member here!

See the ABN classifieds on Page 12.

You can now submit a classified ad via the ABN website at

arkansasbaptist.org/classified-ads

lieves that Fults and other supporters of medical marijuana truly believe that marijuana has legitimate medical uses, “no legitimate medical organization has endorsed smoked or eaten, ingested, marijuana as medicine.” “ The answer is simple.

Smoked and eaten marijuana is not medicine. What Arkansans are being asked to do is to, by legislation, … designate a plant

See MARIJUANA page 3

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September 22, 2016

Digest Stories of interest to Arkansas Baptists

Kaine says the Bible supports gay marriage WASHINGTON (BP) – In a speech to America’s largest pro-gay lobbying group Sept. 10, Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine said the Bible buttresses his support of same-sex marriage.

And he predicted the Roman Catholic Church eventually will change its mind on the issue, like he has. Evangelical theologians, however, said Kaine appeared to distort biblical teaching and Catholic doctrine in service of a political agenda. Stephen Andrews, professor of Hebrew and Old Testament at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, told Baptist Press Kaine’s use of Genesis 1 in support of same-sex marriage is “inaccurate, misleading and inconsistent with the clear teaching of the rest of the Bible.”

HHS rule to affect states’ rights, abortion funding WASHINGTON (BP) – The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Sept. 7 a proposed rule that would effectively prevent states from prohibiting Title X funds for abortion providers. The proposed rule includes the country’s No. 1 abortion chain, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). The federal government provides funds for family planning and preventive health services to states through the Title X program. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, described the HHS proposal as “yet another example of how entrenched and influential the abortion lobby is in our national politics.”

Taxpayer funding of abortion clinics is not necessary to provide other care for women, said Moore.

For more ABN Digest, go to arkansasbaptist.org/abn-digest

La. floods: Stories of loss, redemption Margaret Colson Arkansas Baptist News STREET BY STREET, home by home, soggy rubbish pile by soggy rubbish pile, there are stories.

The statistics – nearly 7 trillion gallons of rainfall, more than 60,000 homes damaged or destroyed, an estimated $20 billion-plus in damages – don’t begin to tell the stories of lives changed forever by recent historic flooding in Louisiana.

Stories of loss

Stephen* leaned back with a sledge hammer, swung it with every bit of strength he could muster and knocked a giant hole in the wall of his home. The hole in the wall, it seemed, mirrored the hole that seemed to be forming in his heart.

With a mix of tears and sweat on his face, Stephen said that every wall, every electrical outlet, every door, every inch of his house carried memories – memories of him and his now-deceased father working long days and nights, weekends and holidays, building the home.

The house that once stood strong was now being dismantled and dragged out piece-bypiece to the curb. It was a total loss. Stephen knew his dad wouldn’t want him to give up; he knew his dad would want him to rebuild, and he would.

But, first, he had to tear down.

Louisianans who have experienced devastating loss “aren’t so much mourning the loss of their material possessions,” said Verne Wickliffe, disaster relief (DR) volunteer and associational missionary for Southwest Arkansas Baptist Association, “as they are mourning the loss of the memories or dreams associated with those possessions.”

Stories of rescue

Louise* had heard the weather reports; she knew rain was coming her way. But the widowed mother of two adult sons had weathered storms before in her more than six decades of life.

“I’ll be fine,” she thought, as she went to bed. Around 2 a.m., the insistent ring of her telephone startled her out of a deep sleep. Her pastor’s wife, who should have been asleep

also, asked, “Are you OK?” “Sure. Why do you ask?”

Louise answered, confused.

Hearing her first report of local flooding, Louise slowly slid out of her bed, only to find her bedroom 2-feet deep in water.

Water was rising quickly.

She phoned her son who lived nearby. By the time he could reach her, some two hours later, she had taken refuge in her attic. Driving a boat through flooded streets at 4 a.m., her son finally reached his childhood home. He cut a hole in the roof. He rescued his mother.

“The people I met in Louisiana don’t look at themselves as victims,” said Wickliffe. “They see themselves as survivors.”

Stories of redemption

Becky had lost her husband just four years ago; as she looked at her home, which had been besieged by about 4 feet of water, she realized that virtually everything she owned in this world was gone. A few friends and relatives came to help her sort through her belongings, trying to determine if anything could be saved.

Little did she know that just a few hours later, she would be the one to be saved. There, in her home lost to furious flood waters, Becky heard the gospel message presented clearly

Becky, a Louisiana resident who lost her home to recent historic flooding, stands with disaster relief volunteer Jerry Parker, minister of evangelism and pastoral care, Walnut Street Baptist Church, Jonesboro. Parker shared the gospel with Becky, who made a profession of faith.

by DR volunteer Jerry Parker, minister of evangelism and pastoral care, Walnut Street Baptist Church, Jonesboro.

As she listened intently, her countenance changed, said Parker. Without hesitation, she prayed to receive Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.

“It’s a wonderful experience. You can see God at work in situations like that. Hearts

are softened for people to turn to God because they have nowhere else to turn,” said Parker.

“The greatest thing we can be doing is sharing our faith,” he said. *Names were changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

Contact Margaret Colson at margaret@arkansasbaptist.org.

DENHAM SPRINGS, La. – While many college students set out to have the time of their lives over the long Labor Day weekend, 14 students from Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) at University of Arkansas, Conway, set out to help residents of flood-ravaged Louisiana reclaim their lives.

The students, along with BCM leaders Ryan Scantling and Hannah Zirbel, traveled to Denham Springs, La., where they toiled alongside trained Arkansas Baptist disaster relief (DR) volunteers to work on homes destroyed in historic August flooding.

As the team rolled into town, debris piled high on roadsides marked their path.

Seeing the devastation was “sobering,” said Scantling. With no time to waste, the team got to work.

“A lot of the girls had never picked up a hammer before,” said Scantling. But, after patient instruction by DR volunteers, the college students became adept at their tasks.

“By the end of the weekend, the girls considered them (the DR volunteers) to be like their grandfathers.”

Although the work was tiring and the days were long, “every student felt we were making a difference,” said Zirbel.

Student Emily Herren, a sophomore from El Dorado, said, “God was doing great things. It was awesome to see the hope we could give by just helping the people who had lost their homes.”

Herren kept a journal chronicling her weekend DR experience. On Saturday, “the first house we visited was only

a skeleton of the home it used to be,” she wrote. As she and her team helped with clean-up at the home that had already been deconstructed, they ran across what she described as “signs of life,” such as used razor blades tucked behind where medicine cabinets used to hang.

On Sunday, after attending a church service at Live Oak Baptist Church, Denham Springs, where they were also staying overnight, she and her team helped a couple by ripping out bathrooms, tearing plaster off of walls and taking up floors in their devastated home.

“It was at that point it stopped looking like a home,” she wrote.

Just as the team was packing

Students serve La. flood victims

See STUDENTS page 9

www.arkansasbaptist.org

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Thousands to gather at SYATP Sept. 28 THOUSANDS of students across Arkansas are expected to participate Wednesday, Sept. 28, during the 26th annual See You at the Pole (SYATP) prayer rally.

SYATP – a student-initiated, student-organized and student-led event – will be held at the midpoint of the Global Week of Student Prayer planned for Sept. 25-Oct. 1 when people are encouraged to find new and unique ways, places and times to pray in groups throughout the week for the world, community leaders, schools, staff and families.

Each year during the fourth week of September, literally millions of students across the U.S. use the event to pray for their friends, families, teachers, school and nation, after a small group of teenagers in Burleson, Texas, came together for a DiscipleNow weekend in early 1990, according to the SYATP website.

MARIJUANA continued from page one

– that is the marijuana plant – as medicine. That has never been done before,” said Page.

“The poppy plant … produced opium, but people aren’t allowed to smoke opium cigarettes even though that would probably accomplish many of the same things that smoked marijuana accomplishes.”

According to Page, marijuana is currently used in the production of certain prescription drugs like Marinol, which is used to treat nausea and vomiting in cancer and AIDS patients. However, smoking and eating of marijuana should not be considered medicine as it, even within a legalized medical marijuana system, cannot be sufficiently regulated or dosed and has not been scientifically shown to be medically advantageous.

Fults said that, while there are some prescription medications that mimic the effects of marijuana, they are synthetic and do not contain the same medical properties found in the plant’s natural form.

In response to Page’s claim that there are no legitimate studies showing the medical benefits of marijuana, she ceded that those kinds of studies are currently illegal in the

“The students came seeking God and little did they know how powerfully He was about to move. On Saturday night their hearts were penetrated like never before, when they became broken before God and burdened for their friends.

Compelled to pray, they drove to three different schools that night. Not knowing exactly what to do, they went to the school flagpoles and prayed for their friends, schools, and leaders. Those students had no idea how God would use their obedience,” the website states.

Later, other students began holding similar prayer meetings at their schools in Texas – ultimately giving birth to a challenge named See You at the Pole. The vision to mobilize students to pray was shared with 20,000 students in June 1990 at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas.

On Sept. 11, 1991, at 7 a.m.,

Digest Stories of interest to Arkansas Baptists

Williams moves up in U.S. News rankings

an estimated one million students gathered at school flagpoles across the country to pray, sing and read Scripture – kicking off a nationwide movement.

The Arkansas Baptist News (ABN) would love to hear from student ministers and others about the activities of their stu-

dents during this year’s SYATP event. Please email information such as location, quotes from students and photos to abn@arkansasbaptist.org following the Sept. 28 event. It is the ABN’s intent to use information submitted to compile a story about the event in a future edition.

U.S., but that other countries, Schedule 1 drugs are considincluding Israel, have not only ered the most dangerous and found research in support of are most highly regulated by the plant, but also begun in- the government. corporating its use throughout “Her (Fults’) intent is meditheir medical communities. cal marijuana, and I get that Fults said that, unlike many and I believe that. But both drugs that are prescribed to pa- of these proposals are actually tients every day, it is impossi- recreational marijuana under ble to overdose on marijuana. the guise of medical, and it’s “There has never been a because of the unintended case of anyone c o n s e qu e n c e s , ” dying of an oversaid Page. dose of marijuana.

“Under both of …You cannot say these proposals, that about any one of the condiother drug on the tions that allows market, including me to become a aspirin, including card- holder is Tylenol; you can’t chronic pain. Now, even say it about I can go to the peanuts,” said Mayo Clinic and I Fults.

A proponent of medical can be seen by the “If you can show marijuana holds a sign in number one docme another drug downtown Little Rock. tor … and he can that is not going to neither prove nor kill you that does what can- disprove that I have chronic nabis does, I’ll be glad to take pain. So anybody that really it. When you fill people with wants to smoke marijuana opiates that kill you if you take can do so by simply claiming too many, or even if you don’t to a doctor that they have had take too many, it gets into your months of chronic pain that system and kills you,” she said. doesn’t respond to any other Page said that the federal treatment,” he said. government recently decided Page argued that the “end to keep marijuana a Schedule game” of many groups lob1 drug, a drug considered to bying for medical marijuana, have a high potential for abuse, especially those from out-ofno currently accepted medical state, is to legalize recreational use in the U.S. and consid- marijuana in Arkansas. ered unsafe to consume, even Fults said Page’s argument under medical supervision. that marijuana should not le-

galized because of the ease in which people would be able to abuse it or use it recreationally was “hypocritical” as it did not take into account the ease of which any person can currently acquire a prescription for opiates and other medications.

“You can go to the Mayo Clinic and be given enough opiates where you don’t know where you are at most of the time. And people get behind the wheel and drive and they do all of those things,” said Fults. “So if that’s the reason that you don’t think cannabis should be in medicine, then take all the opiates off the market, take all muscle relaxers off the market, take all Ambien (sedative) off the market, take all Valium off the market because all of those things, which they prescribe like they are candy, are on the market.”

“The recreation right now are the opiates. I am more concerned about my grandchild getting hold of a handful of pills at school than I am worried about her getting a joint because those opiates can kill her,” said Fults.

“Before Colorado went recreational, about half the patients there were using chronic pain as a reason to get medical marijuana. Also, a large percentage of the so-called

See MARIJUANA page 13

DURHAM, N.C. – Williams Baptist College (WBC) has made a big leap in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, coming in at 23rd among liberal arts colleges in the south. Williams was 51st in last year’s rankings.“This is great news, and it is very gratifying for the people who have worked hard to keep Williams Baptist College moving forward,” said Williams President Tom Jones. The rankings are based on a wide ranging series of criteria, including class sizes, studentto-teacher ratio, student retention and peer reputation score.

SBC min. salaries grow, insurance coverage falls NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Compensation for fulltime Southern Baptist church staff members has exceeded the cost-of-living increase over the past two years. However, health insurance coverage continues to decline, according to the 2016 SBC Church Compensation Study.

Compensation (salary plus housing) increased 3.4 percent for full-time senior Southern Baptist pastors over the last two years, 4.3 percent for full-time staff ministers and 2 percent for full-time office personnel. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the same two-year period increased only 1.1 percent.

Overall, the value of the entire pay package (salary, retirement, housing and other benefits including insurance) for senior pastors (0.9 percent) has not kept pace with inflation, even though the pay package for full-time staff ministers (2.5 percent) and office personnel (1.5 percent) has exceeded inflation.

For more ABN Digest, go to arkansasbaptist.org/abn-digest

Editorial&Opinion 4

September 22, 2016 “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have...”

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

How to respond when your nation ‘takes a knee’

J

ust when we thought it I believe Scripture speaks was safe to turn on our relevantly to our time and to TV sets and watch some inour lives, such as in Romans nocuous football this fall, pro- 1:18 (ESV) when a nation testers are attempting to make abandons God: a statement about injustice in “For the wrath of God is reAmerica by “taking a knee” vealed from heaven against all during the national anthem. ungodliness and unrighteousWhat ness of men, started with who by their Pressing On San Francisco unrighteousTim Yarbrough 49ers quarness suppress Phil. 3:14 terback Colin the truth.”

Kaepernick While the has now extended to other current crop of protestors are NFL teams and to some coldemanding justice for minorilege and high school football ties, have you noticed that teams. What’s more, recently it seems everyone has a pet Missouri State Sen. Jamilah cause these days?

Nasheed, a St. Louis DemoOur nation is rapidly becrat, refused to stand during coming dysfunctional – right the Pledge of Allegiance. before our eyes. Issues and What does all of this mean, practices that once were conand where is it going? It’s an sidered by society to be nonexpected outcome of a nation negotiable are falling with that is quickly losing its way. each passing day:

C

– Marijuana users want it legalized.

– Individuals with deviant sexual practices want their behavior mainstreamed.

– Feminists call for equality so women can fight alongside men on the frontlines of war.

– Abortion on demand has been turned into a constitutional right.

The list goes on and on.

But rather than get caught up in the corruption of our times, allowing it to pull us down, Christians have the bedrock of Jesus Christ on which to lean.

As Paul writes Colossians 1:27 (ESV), “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

God will provide us

strength in our weakness when we trust Him (2 Cor. 12:9, ESV): “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made

perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so

See PRESSING ON page 7 Cartoon by Gary Thomas

Christians, be alert because the battle rages on

hristians, be aware that based. Our founding fathers we are in a civil war. saw the dangers of big governFor decades the U.S. has proment and corrupt leadership, tected, fed and evangelized and they built into the Conthe world. The enemy does stitution protection for those not like for people to be safe, who would deny these cornernourished and especially stones. saved by the grace of God. The contrasting worldThis fantastic experiment in view is based on a liberal freedom is at philosophy. odds with all There are no the desires of foundations.

Viewpoint the enemy to There are no kill, destroy absolutes. It’s Reg Hamman and eternally all relative to separate us the situation from the love and, therefore, of God. it’s easy to manipulate the Christians, be alert, because laws to fit the leaders’ desires. the battle rages on. Since the The constitution under this beginning of time, there have view is a living document and been two worldviews. One not based on standards that worldview is conservative. have survived for centuries.

Faith, freedom and family are A liberal worldview delights foundations on which this is in paying people not to work,

Telling the story of Arkansas Baptists since 1901 Volume 115, Number 19 USPS08021 Member of the Association of State Baptist Publications Arkansas Press Association Evangelical Press Association

Tim Yarbrough, editor/exec. director Jeanie Weber, administrative assistant Caleb Yarbrough, associate editor Margaret Colson, writer/copy editor Barbara Vick, circulation coordinator Advertising: ads@arkansasbaptist.org Phone 501-376-4791, ext. 5161

rewarding women for bearing children without fathers in the home, killing children for convenience, embracing any lifestyle and destroying God’s basic battle formation, the family. A liberal worldview slowly but surely dilutes and denies the freedoms of Christians.

Christians, be active because the war is not over.

There is room at the front lines for those who will prepare and stand up and fight.

Your basic training starts with education. Know God’s Word and God’s principles for living in freedom. There are plenty of absolutes in God’s Word that are ammunition for declaring the truth.

Know the Constitution and understand how it defines what a government can and

cannot do. There is abuse of our laws taking place, and without knowledge it’s impossible to know where to fight.

The front line is waiting for educated soldiers.

There are two main political parties. They publish their concept of government in documents called party platforms. If you want to know what any given candidate will do – in spite of what they say – look at the party platform.

Start with prayer, and then volunteer to be used by God on the front lines.

Be active by talking to family, friends and anyone in your sphere of influence who will listen to a calm discussion of the future of our freedom.

The time for action is yesterday because for far too long the conservative worldview

Toll-free 800-838-2272, ext. 5161 Arkansas Baptist News (ISSN 1040-6056) is published bi-weekly except the last issue of the year (25 issues) by the Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine, Inc., 10 Remington Drive, Little Rock, AR 72204.

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has been far too silent. If it’s the silent majority, then it’s time to be silent no more.

Identify the candidate who aligns with God’s principles.

Talk; call; email; tweet; post on Facebook; put on a bumper sticker; place a yard sign; volunteer for that candidate; stand on a street corner; do whatever you must do to save our freedoms. That’s what a front line soldier does.

Then vote. Encourage those around you to vote. Help get them to the polls.

It’s not too late. Remember that the next president will name a Supreme Court justice and think about what that means when that seat is filled.

Reg Hamman is a member of Park Hill Baptist Church in North Little Rock.

Little Rock, AR 72204. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Lyndon Finney, Little Rock, president; Bob Beach, vice president; Mary Kisor, Pottsville, secretary; James Bryant, Harrison; Jennifer Bryant, New Edinburg; Stephanie Copes, Crossett; Danny Allen, Rison; Jennifer Booth, Little Rock; Carey Trickey, Judsonia; Troy Sharp, Desha; Doug Hibbard, East End; Mike Sheets, Texarkana; Mike Vinson, Corning; Juel Zeiser, Hot Springs Village; Tommy Jacobs, Lexa.

www.arkansasbaptist.org

Discipleship essentials Family Matters Ben Phillips

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person has made at least a start on understanding the Christian life whenever they plant shade trees under which they know full well they will never sit.” This quote by Elton Trueblood – along with a plethora of Scriptures on discipleship (such as Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 78:1-8; Matt.

28:19-20 and 2 Tim. 3:14-17) – has motivated, convicted and challenged me to strategically disciple the next generation, starting in my home and multiplying outward.

This year our family is working together through “Discipleship Essentials: A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ” by Greg Ogden. The study consists of 25 weekly sessions. Each week includes a core truth, a memory verse, an inductive Bible study and a reading of a contemporary article. A good strategy is to work through the study individually during the week and then, as a family, discuss what you’ve learned and how God is leading us to apply those truths.

Utilizing this study, the father should lead the first session, on Making Disciples, to model for your family what the discipleship group time would look like. Pray, ask questions and involve everyone in sharing. The mother could lead the next session on Being a Disciple. Then assign each of your children, from oldest to youngest, to lead a session before starting the rotation over from dad to mom to children. Before each child’s assigned time to lead the family discussion, meet with the child to help make sure he or she is prepared.

When my children were younger, my wife or I led most of our devotion times. They are almost all teenagers now, so I am providing opportunities for them to lead in our home to help them gain some practical experience in home discipleship and develop a vision to disciple others outside our home.

We started this discipleship journey several years ago when our children were just little seedlings. They have grown as disciples in a variety of ways. Discipleship is an essential responsibility for every believer and for every parent.

Ben Phillips serves on the ABSC evangelism and church health team.

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Knowledge key to keeping ministry safe W

hen I was a child, my dad would tell me often, most child predators are not caught until they have abused “Son, what you don’t know will hurt you.” That as many as 40 children. So, your background check will has proven to be true in both life and ministry. It is espeonly protect you from 10 percent of child predators after cially true when it comes to keeping children and students they have abused lots of children. safe in today’s world. There has never been a time with MinistrySafe training takes your church beyond backmore risk in ministry or a time when churches have been ground checks and provides the training you need to unso far behind in their preparation. That is why the Arkanderstand the real risks to the children in your ministry and sas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) has begun working how to protect them. They recommend a five-part system with MinistrySafe, an organization that provides the best of protection policies and training. They provide training training and information to churches resources for your leaders and teachers so your for protecting their children and student church can share Jesus with children and not ministries. put them at risk while doing so. The ABSC is Executive Richard Hammar of the Church Law grateful for our partnership with MinistrySafe.

Directions and Tax Report recently published a surThey provide the best training for churches and Greg Addison vey of the types of lawsuits filed against leaders we have found. These resources can churches during 2010 -2014. While there be implemented at any size and type of ABSC were varying types of legal cases, the number one reason church. You will find information and articles at absc. every year was related to the molestation of a child. Since I org connecting you to MinistrySafe and to additional injoined the ABSC staff in July 2014, we have received a noformation from our staff that will educate and equip your tice from an ABSC church every week of a potential issue. church. Our ABSC staff is trained to help your church as Invariably, pastors tell me they had no idea the dangers to well. children are so great.

What you do know can save your church and children “Son, what you don’t know will hurt you.” Those words from a tragic situation. Please let us help your church. often ring true as I work with churches. One piece of misKnowledge and preparation can keep your ministry safe information that I hear is, “Greg, we do background checks while sharing Jesus with boys, girls and students who need so we are protected.” Background checks are important to know Him. and identify someone who has been convicted of a crime Greg Addison is associate executive director of the Arkansas involving a minor. Most leaders do not know that 90 perBaptist State Convention (ABSC). For more information on Mincent of child molesters never enter the system. Moreover, istrySafe visit ministrysafe.com.

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Praying for the harvest

absolutely love this time of the year on the Grand may not receive the seed, but rather the act of the farmer Prairie! Farmers are seeing the visible results of their sowing the seed. Jesus was saying to his disciples then and labors as harvest season is in full swing. Although farming now, “It’s not up to you to decide who will or will not behas changed drastically since my childhood days when I lieve the gospel. It’s up to you to share the gospel.” As we rode on the tractor next to my dad on Mr. Pete Lansdale’s go, wherever we go, we have the responsibility, or the obfarm in Black Oak, there’s a certain rhythm to farming ligation as Paul said in Romans 1, to share the good news that has remained consistent over the years. The soil is with everyone. Sure, some will reject the gospel message, cultivated; seeds are planted; the farmer meticulously cares but as those who have heard the good news and trusted for the crop; the harvest is gathered; Jesus alone for salvation, we must not let the celebration begins, and rest is short bepossibility that some may refuse God’s offer of President’s cause the cycle must be repeated. salvation through Jesus prevent us from sharing During both planting and harvest the gospel as we go.

Perspective seasons, I find myself driving outside A few years ago, LifeWay Research conducted Sam Roberts the city limits, parking on a gravel or a massive discipleship survey among Protestant dirt road, and praying for our farmers, church-goers in the United States. Eighty pertheir families and our community. Communities like Stuttcent of those who regularly attended both a small group gart depend on the harvest. The great majority of farmers and worship believed it was their personal responsibility I know understand that although farming requires hard to share the gospel with non-Christians. Yet, 61 percent of work and long hours, the harvest those surveyed said they had not shared depends mostly on the grace of the gospel with anyone in the past six God. So, as you are driving through months.

Arkansas during this harvest season Planting seeds is really important to and you see a farmer hard at it, take the harvest. I’ve yet to meet a farmer who a moment to pray for him, his famexpected a harvest without the hard work ily and his community. of planting seeds. Neither did Jesus. “The It would probably come as no harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. surprise to you that one of my faAsk the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to vorite stories in the New Testament send out workers into his harvest field” involves a farmer. Jesus began the (Matt. 9:37-38, NIV). “Don’t you have a story this way, “A farmer went out saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? to sow his seed” (Luke 8:5, NIV).

I tell you, open your eyes and look at the The farmer was not selective with where he sowed his fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35, NIV). seed. He threw the seed everywhere! You could say that All across Arkansas there is a great need to engage peothree-fourths of the seed he sowed did not produce a crop. ple with the gospel. No one is beyond the need of a Savior.

But Jesus said, “Other seed fell on good soil. It came up No sin is beyond the grace of God. As you go, wherever and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown” you go, share the good news!

(Luke 8:8, NIV).

Sam Roberts is senior pastor of First Baptist Church in StuttThe focus of this story is not the type of soil that may or gart and president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.

6

ABSC Agencies

September 22, 2016

Camp Siloam and reaching the nations

R

ecently, the Program Committee of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) Executive Board recommended to change the Cooperative Program (CP) funding formula and reduce Camp Siloam’s percentage of the CP. The change was made in order to send more CP money to reach the three billion people who don’t have access to the gospel.

The ABSC Formula Study Committee took great care to accomplish the goal with as little impact to the camp and other Arkansas Baptist agen-

cies as possible. bound camper was moved I couldn’t be more pleased to give, but she couldn’t get that more money is going her wheelchair up to the altar to share the gospel with the because so many people came nations. The staff at Camp Si- forward to give. In one of the loam share God’s burden for most moving moments at the nations.

Camp Siloam, Each year we she asked her ask our campcounselor to Camp Siloam ers to give to carry her up Jason Wilkie International to the stage Mission Board so she could (IMB) gospel projects. Last give her offering. The $10,546 year our campers gave cash campers gave over the course and snack shack cards in a of the summer went directly weekly offering for an IMB to the IMB so that more kids project called One Life in in Zimbabwe could have acZimbabwe. One wheelchaircess to the gospel. Currently

that money – like the gift that our campers gave – is not counted in the percentage Arkansas Baptists send to reach the nations. Folks, Arkansas Baptists are doing more than we get credit for, and that’s OK. God knows what we give.

His mission is our mission at Camp Siloam. Reaching the nations is the camp’s legacy, and it is our vision for the future. Our vision states that we want to see our campers and staff make an eternal, global impact for the kingdom of God. Your CP dollar is accomplishing God’s

mission locally as much as it is around the world. In the past two summers, 161 campers said they felt God calling them to missions or full-time ministry. Imagine if half that group is obedient to the call and is sent to reach the nations. Is that as good as your dollar going directly to an unreached people group?

Please consider increasing your support of the CP. It’s the most powerful thing we do collectively as Southern Baptists.

Jason Wilkie is executive director of Camp Siloam.

Being strategic at ABCHomes W

hat began as a need for an updated website has since morphed into a strategic process addressing the identity, needs and future of our ministry. With the help of a professional advertising agency, we identified key areas we must address: branding, website makeover, houseparenting, enhancing the delivery of our message to key audiences, new funding opportunities and a strategic priority plan of our current ministries. Each of these areas has been assigned to individual work groups that include donors, convention staff, church staff and others.

Most pressing of the six

areas is that of branding. referred to by other brands, When I was a child growing such as ABCHomes, Chilup in west Texas, branding dren’s Homes, ABC, Baptist meant burning one’s brand Homes, Baptist Children’s on livestock, usually calves or Homes, etc. Hopefully, we young horses. Now, branding can settle on one dynamic is defined as brand. the promoting I am exof a product cited about ABCHomes or service by getting a new David Perry identifying website with it with a parsocial media ticular brand. portals, dediOur registered cated online name is Arkansas Baptist giving and estate planning Children’s Homes and Family tools, applications for admisMinistries. At this time, we sions and employment, opdo not expect to change the portunities to schedule tours, registered name. However, etc. because of the length of that Houseparenting is a dename, we are most often manding and rewarding

ministry. One work group will focus on the recruitment, retention and support of these special “missionaries.”

A fourth group’s objective is to create greater awareness and support for our ministries. One of their tasks is to evaluate our newsletter, “Outlook,” and determine what is most liked and helpful to our readers.

Funding this ministry is a growing challenge. We are grateful for our greatest funding partner, our Arkansas Baptist churches. However, the needs are overwhelming, and exploring new or expanded sources of income is critical.

Finally, it is important that we carefully evaluate our ministries for their effectiveness in meeting needs and longterm sustainability. There is great interest in family foster care. The work group assigned to this area will develop a priority plan that best protects the viability of our ministry as we seek to serve the needs of hurting children and families.

Your thoughts or input on any of the six areas may be submitted to dperry@abchomes.org. Please use Strategic Process in the subject line.

David Perry is executive director of Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes. Visit them online at abchomes.org.

Williams Baptist: The first opening day W

illiams Baptist College’s 75th anniversary is yet another pillar in the long, established and solid history of the college’s contribution to Baptist work in our state. The following excerpt is from “Rainbows Come When It Rains” by H.E. Williams, founder of the college. His account of the first opening day on Sept. 10, 1941, illustrates some of the Christian values that have permeated the institution for these past 75 years.

“When September 10, 1941 dawned all of the new college organization was anxious to see what such a historic day

might hold for Southern Bapsemester an additional twenty tist College (now Williams students enrolled, making the Baptist College). When the cumulative enrollment for the enrollment procedure was first year sixty-two. completed there were forty“Classes began on the foltwo students lowing day, who had offiSeptember 11, cially enrolled.

Every Williams Baptist 1941.

Such a small student was reTom Jones number did quired to take not seem insigBible, English nificant since and history. some colleges in Arkansas Other courses were elective which had operated for more and related to the ultimate than seventy-five years had training objective of the stuonly a few more enrollees. dent. Chapel was scheduled Also it was commonly known on Wednesday morning of that most had started with each week. Ministerial stufewer students. By the second dents were encouraged to

serve the churches of the region and many of them, being mostly mature men, soon found pastoral opportunities.

“Expenses were minimal for enrollment. A matriculation fee of $15.00 per semester was charged. Tuition was only $4.00 per semester hour.

There was no provision for boarding students on campus the first year, so no board was included in the fees and expenses charged the student.

About one-third of the enrollees were commuters and traveled to and from the campus daily, Monday through Friday.

Some moved to Pocahontas

and rented apartments. A few young ladies worked in homes for their room and board.

“Before the end of the first semester, on December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed. It was evident that growth would be slow with this tragedy hanging over all plans for the future. However, not one faculty member or supporter suggested we dissolve the institution. Everyone seemed to feel that it would survive and that the war had not changed the mission of the college.”

Tom Jones is president of Williams Baptist College.

Read breakng news and features at arkansasbaptist.org

www.arkansasbaptist.org

ENGAGE continued from page one

ber of the ABSC evangelism and church health team, and Eric Jones, associate pastor for music and worship, Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock.

Periods of focused prayer will be led by Don Moore, former ABSC executive director; Bill Elliff, pastor, The Summit

7

Church, North Little Rock, and Manley Beasley Jr., pastor, Hot Springs Baptist Church.

Panel discussion

On Tuesday afternoon, Roberts will moderate a panel discussion on the topic Engaging the Community, featuring Steven Bell, senior pastor, Otter Creek Community Church, Little Rock; Brad Lewter, lead pastor, Grand Avenue Baptist Church, Fort

Kelley

Tatum

Floyd

Quimby

Smith; John McCallum, se- 24, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m., in Horne nior pastor, First Baptist Hall. The Young Leaders Church, Hot Springs; Jason Lunch and Panel Discussion Miller, associate pastor, Geyer will be held Monday, Oct. 24, Springs First Baptist Church, at noon, in the choir room. A Little Rock; Chanson Hispanic Celebration Newborn, pastor, Felwill be held on Monlowship Community day, Oct. 24, 1-5 p.m., Church, Forrest City, in the chapel. A Misand Jason Tallent, sesionary Parents Felnior pastor, First Baplowship will be held on tist Church, Cabot.

Monday, Oct. 24, 4:30Election of officers 6:30 p.m., in rooms will be held Wednes169-170. A Delta Conday morning at 10 a.m. nection Dinner will Jones for president, 10:10 be held on Monday, a.m. for first vice president Oct. 24, 4:30-6:30 p.m., in and 10:30 a.m. for second vice Horne Hall. An Associational president. Resolutions will be Missionary Fellowship will be presented at 10:15 a.m. on held on Monday, Oct. 24, 5-6 Wednesday. p.m., in the dining rooms of the ABSC building. An InnoRelated meetings vative Church Planters meetPrior to the annual meeting ing will be held on Monday, a number of meetings will take Oct. 24, 5-6:30 p.m., in a locaplace at the church. tion not determined at press A Hispanic worship ser- time. vice will be held on Sunday, Other meetings to be held Oct. 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m., in on Tuesday, Oct. 25, include the chapel. The ABSC Pas- a Chaplains Lunch at noon tor’s Conference will be held in the dining rooms of the on Monday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.- ABSC; an Arkansas Student 9 p.m., in the worship center, Pastors Network from 4:15-6 preceded by a special time of p.m. at The Spot; a Discipleprayer from 9-10 a.m. The ship Pastors Network from Ministers’ Wives Conference 4:15-6 p.m. in rooms 261-263, will be held on Monday, Oct. and a Preschool and Chil-

Roberts

Tucker

dren’s Ministry Dinner and Roundtable from 4:15-6 p.m. in room 256.

Seminary luncheons to be held on Tuesday Oct. 25, at noon, include: Mid-America Seminary in room 256; New Orleans Seminary in rooms 254-255 and Southwestern Seminary in rooms 261-263.

Additionally, a block party will be held Monday-Wednesday, Oct. 24-26, in the parking lot on the south side of Immanuel Baptist Church.

Receptions

Also on Tuesday, Oct. 25, Ouachita Baptist University will host a reception from 4:15-6 p.m., and Williams Baptist College will host a 75th anniversary celebration hosted by the ABSC from 8:45-9:45 p.m.

For additional annual meeting information see pages 9-11 and 13-14 in this edition.

PRESSING ON continued from page 4

that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

How should we respond when we observe our nation “taking a knee” in protest?

I suggest going to our knees in submission to our Father’s will and to acknowledge His authority over our lives.

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”

(Psalm 95:6, ESV).

Tim Yarbrough is editor/ executive director of the Arkansas Baptist News.

Visit arkansasbaptist.org for more Arkansas Baptist news!

2016 Season runs May through October and tours happen year round

8

September 22, 2016

Pastor appreciation: Exercising the ‘ministry of encouragement’

By Jeff Paxton

Barnabas, the cheerleader, the encourager, stepped in and DOVER – We have all been went to bat for Paul. People in to sporting events to watch the ministry regularly need indi“big game.” viduals to go to bat for them, The players compete; the to encourage them. Back to the coaches coach, and the referees sporting analogy, fans are fickcall the game. However, there le. They complain and gripe is another aspect that cannot about everything and, unfortube overlooked – cheerleaders. nately, quite a few Christians My wife and I atdo the same thing. I tended the same elremember a Peanuts ementary, junior and cartoon where Lucy high school. I had a put her hands on crush on her in the her hips after Charthird grade. In high lie Brown had made school I played just another mistake, and about every sport ofsaid, "Charlie Brown, fered, and she was a you are a foul ball in Paxton cheerleader. I can vivthe line drive of life! idly remember standYou are a miscue! You ing at the free-throw line and are three putts on the 18th hearing her yell, “Sink it, Jeff, green! You are a 7-10 split sink it!” I’m sure I made the in the 10th frame! You are a free throws, but sometimes I dropped rod and reel in the missed them on purpose so lake of life! You are a missed she would come and cheer me free throw, a shanked nine up after the game. I’m not as iron and a called third strike! dumb as some people think I Do you understand? Have am.

I made myself clear?" If you Cheerleading, better known work in the church, I’m sure as the “ministry of encourage- you have encountered more ment” in the church, is some- than one Lucy as you serve. thing we all should be doing. Unfortunately, it comes with We discover this ministry in ministry, and that is why enthe book of Acts. Paul, who couragement is so vital. persecuted Christians, had The human spine is an been saved in his dramatic en- amazing thing. When supportcounter with Jesus on the road ed by surrounding muscles, ligto Damascus. Later, when Paul aments and tendons, it can be went back to Jerusalem to min- used as a mighty lever for maister to the saints, they saw him nipulating the body and lifting as public enemy number one. incredibly heavy objects. Yet, Acts 9:26 (MSG) says, "Back when that same spine loses the in Jerusalem he (Paul) tried support of those soft tissues to join the disciples, but they around it, it will buckle under were all afraid of him. They a load of just five pounds. didn't trust him one bit. Then Folks in ministry are buckling Barnabas took him under his because they don’t get the supwing." port and encouragement they

Treat your pastor to a getaway weekend!

Show your appreciation for your pastor with a getaway at Bean Point near Greers Ferry Lake in a very nice, very new, secluded house three minutes from the lake and close to Heber Springs. For more information visit beanpointvacationrental.com or contact John and Susan Waldrup at jswaldrup@sbcglobal.net or (501) 206-6226.

Honor your pastor with an ABN ad!

Email ads@arkansasbaptist.org for information and pricing.

need. Let me encourage you to be an encourager. Go to bat for your pastor. Encourage your ministers, teachers and servants, and not just during

October. It will make a world of difference. William Ward said, “Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore

me, and I may not forgive you.

Encourage me, and I will not forget you.”

Jeff Paxton is pastor of First Baptist Church in Dover.

ABSC Annual Meeting 9

www.arkansasbaptist.org

2016 ABSC Annual Meeting Schedule TUESDAY MORNING, October 25

TUESDAY EVENING, October 25

8:25 a.m.

Presentation/Salute to Flags........NLR Police Dept. Honor Guard 6:00 p.m.

Concert of Praise....................................................Master’Singers 8:30 a.m.

Pre-Session Music...Scott Quimby, First Baptist Church, Stuttgart 6:40 p.m.

Worship...................................................................Larry Grayson 8:45 a.m.

Welcome......Mark Carter, Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock 6:45 p.m.

Focused Prayer...................................................Manley Beasley, Jr. 8:50 a.m.

Worship..................Scott Quimby, First Baptist Church, Stuttgart 6:55 p.m.

Cooperative Program.....................................J.D. “Sonny” Tucker 8:55 a.m.

Focused Prayer..............................................................Don Moore 7:05 p.m.

ENGAGE ARKANSAS – Intl. Connections........Greg Addison 9:05 a.m.

ENGAGE ARKANSAS............................J. D. “Sonny” Tucker 7:15 p.m.

WBC 75th Anniversary Celebration..................Tom Jones, WBC 9:15 a.m.

President’s Welcome and Call to Order..................Sam Roberts 7:50 p.m.

ABSC Celebrates WBC Anniversary.............J.D. “Sonny” Tucker 9:20 a.m.

Appointment of Committees..................................Sam Roberts 8:00 p.m.

SBC Executive Committee............................................Frank Page Credentials Committee............................Denny Wright 8:10 p.m.

Worship...................................................................Larry Grayson

Order of Business Committee......................Scott Miller 8:15 p.m.

MESSAGE...............................................J. D. “Sonny” Tucker Resolutions Committee....................................Larry Page 8:45 p.m.

Closing Prayer ..................................................Margarito Ramirez Tellers Committee...............................................Jim Shaw 9:25 a.m.

Worship..................Scott Quimby, First Baptist Church, Stuttgart WEDNESDAY MORNING, October 26 9:30 a.m.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE..................................Sam Roberts 10:00 a.m.

Dixie Jackson State Missions Impact Stories............Greg Addison 8:30 a.m.

Pre-Session Music..Worship Team, Immanuel Baptist, Little Rock 10:15 a.m.

Worship..................Scott Quimby, First Baptist Church, Stuttgart 8:45 a.m.

Worship................Worship Team, Immanuel Baptist, Little Rock 10:20 a.m.

Ouachita Baptist University.............................................Ben Sells 8:50 a.m.

Testimony....................................Bob Johnson and James Horton 10:35 a.m.

Arkansas Baptist Foundation................................Bobby Thomas 8:55 a.m.

ENGAGE ARKANSAS – Send City Connections.. Bob Harper 10:50 a.m.

EXECUTIVE BOARD REPORT............................Greg Sykes 9:05 a.m.

Baptist Memorial Healthcare, Memphis.......................Jason Little 11:35 a.m.

Worship..................Scott Quimby, First Baptist Church, Stuttgart 9:10 a.m.

Miscellaneous Business...........................................Sam Roberts 11:40 a.m.

Camp Siloam.............................................................Jason Wilkie 9:25 a.m.

Worship................Worship Team, Immanuel Baptist, Little Rock 11:45 a.m.

Closing Prayer................................................................Kyle Reno 9:30 a.m.

CONVENTION SERMON........................................Nick Floyd 10:00 a.m.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS (President) TUESDAY AFTERNOON, October 25 10:05 a.m.

Arkansas Baptist News.............................................Tim Yarbrough 10:10 a.m.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS (First Vice President) 1:30 p.m.

Instrumental Ensemble..........................................Master’Singers 10:15 a.m.

Resolutions.....................................................................Larry Page 1:45 p.m.

Worship............Worship Team, First Baptist Church, Sherwood 10:30 a.m.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS (Second Vice President) 1:50 p.m.

Focused Prayer................................................................Bill Elliff 10:35 a.m.

Prayer for Newly Elected Officers..................J. D. “Sonny” Tucker 2:00 p.m.

Testimony..............................................................Ricky Lattimore 10:40 a.m.

Prayer for Revival and Spiritual Awakening...............Sam Roberts 2:05 p.m.

ENGAGE ARKANSAS – Delta Network................Tim Wicker 11:05 a.m. Adjourn 2:15 p.m.

Worship............Worship Team, First Baptist Church, Sherwood God, said Scantling.

2:20 p.m.

MESSAGE.....................................................Chuck Kelley, Jr. As students worked side-by2:50 p.m.

Miscellaneous Business..............................................Sam Roberts side with DR volunteers, some 3:00 p.m.

Convention Nominating Committee Report...............Jeff Paxton 3:05 p.m.

Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council................................Larry Page continued from page 2 even triple the age of the col3:20 p.m.

Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes............................David Perry legians, they learned firsthand 3:35 p.m.

Worship...........Worship Team, First Baptist Church, Sherwood to leave, “it started to sound “we can do more together,” 3:40 p.m.

Panel Discussion....moderated by Sam Roberts (Steven Bell, Brad like storms again. Mrs. Jan he said. “They could see we’re Lewter, John McCallum, Jason Miller, Chanson Newborn and Jason Tallent) (homeowner) called out to part of a bigger family – the 4:10 p.m.

Closing Prayer............................................................Izah Broadus Scantling God, saying she didn’t need family of Arkansas Baptists -this at that point. At that mo- serving together and wanting ment we were able to share to see God glorified in mulwith her the true peace and joy tiple ways.”

Christ gives despite suffering,” Herren, whose home wrote Herren, who also serves church is Immanuel Bapas an intern at Second Baptist tist Church, El Dorado, said Church, Conway. it was “inspiring and enThe volunteers gave the couraging” to see the DR homeowners a Bible signed volunteers “pouring their by each team member and lives” into helping those in prayed with the couple before need. leaving.

Scantling, who had never Through such experiences participated in DR before, the college students began to agreed. understand the “hope that “DR volunteers are the people can have in devasta- best of Arkansas Baptists,” tion” because of their faith in he said.

STUDENTS

10

ABSC Annual Meeting

Resolutions and committee information CONVENTION Resolutions Committee Chairman, Larry Page, executive director of the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council, has invited Arkansas Baptist messengers with proposed resolutions to send them to the committee for early review.

Anyone desiring to present a resolution to the committee should mail a copy of the proposed resolution to the address below by Tuesday, Oct. 11. Proposed resolutions may also be submitted at the convention until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

Mail to: Arkansas Baptist State Convention, Attn: Mrs. Vera Clancy, 10 Remington Drive, Little Rock, AR 72204.

The published convention schedule calls for resolutions to be considered during the morning session Wednesday, Oct. 26.

2016 ABSC committees Credentials

Denny Wright, chairman, pastor, Balboa Baptist Church, Hot Springs Village Craig Collier, pastor, Mount Pisgah Baptist Church, Jacksonville James Guthrie, pastor, First Baptist Church, Sparkman Craig Jenkins, pastor, Beech Street First Baptist Church, Texarkana Jeff Paxton, pastor, First Baptist Church, Dover

Order of Business

Scott Miller, chairman, pastor, Lonoke Baptist Church, Lonoke Bob Johnson, associational missionary, North Arkansas Baptist Association, Harrison Don Settles, associational

missionary, Current Gaines Baptist Association, Corning

Resolutions

Larry Page, chairman, executive director, Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council, Little Rock Mark Carter, executive pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock Wes George, pastor, First Baptist Church, Rogers Donny Hargett, pastor, Calvary Trail Cowboy Church, Louann Sid Sample, pastor, New Life Baptist Church, Alexander Jay Shell, layperson, member, West Baptist Church, Batesville Jeff Thompson, associational missionary, Concord Baptist Association, Fort Smith

Parliamentarians

Dan Raines, lead parliamentarian, layperson, member, First Baptist Church, Russellville Chris Larmoyeux, pastor, First Baptist Church, Maumelle Mike Rainwater, layperson, member Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock

Tellers

Jim Shaw, chairman, associate pastor, First Baptist Church, Rogers Daniel (Danny) Allen, pastor, First Baptist Church, Rison Izah Broadus, pastor, New Faith Baptist Church, West Helena Jonathan Curtis, pastor, First Baptist Church, Little Rock Terry W. Fortner, pastor, Zion Hill Baptist Church,

See COMMITTEES page 14

September 22, 2016

ABSC Executive Board offers budget, ministry recommendations for 2017 RECOMMENDATION NO. 1: 2017 BUDGET I. ARKANSAS BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION 1.

Executive Board Programs ...................................................................................$6,100,213 2.

Pastoral Scholarship Fund ......................................................................................$162,819 3.

Convention ............................................................................................................$164,286 4.

Church Protection Plan – GuideStone ....................................................................$57,212 5.

Camp Siloam ..........................................................................................................$241,151 6.

Children’s Homes and Family Ministries .............................................................$555,220 7.

Arkansas Baptist Foundation ................................................................................$325,032 8.

Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine ............................................................................$277,521 9.

Ouachita Baptist University ...............................................................................$3,016,358 10.

Williams Baptist College .......................................................................................$908,487 Total Arkansas Baptist State Convention ..............................................................$11,690,217 II. SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION 11.

International Mission Board ..............................................................................$4,587,201 12.

North American Mission Board .........................................................................$2,073,841 13.

Theological Education Ministries .......................................................................$2,016,512 14.

Christian Ethics and Religious Liberty Ministries ................................................$150,145 15.

Facilitating Ministries ............................................................................................$272,084 Total Southern Baptist Convention .......................................................................$9,099,783 III. SHARED MINISTRIES OF THE CONVENTIONS 16.

Arkansas Baptist State Convention .......................................................................$118,083 17.

Southern Baptist Convention ....................................................................................91,917 Total Budget .......................................................................................................$21,000,000 RECOMMENDATION NO. 2: 2017 GOALS Executive Board ministry goals are printed in the 2016 Book of Reports and 2015 annual audits.

See RECOMMENDATIONS page 13

ABSC Annual Meeting 11

www.arkansasbaptist.org

Arkansas Baptists nominated for service in Little Rock ABSC Executive Board Term to Expire in 2019 Arkansas River Valley – Clayton Sheets, pastor, First Baptist Church, Danville Ashley – *Bobby Pennington, pastor, First Baptist Church, Hamburg Bartholomew – Kevin Henry, associate pastor, First Baptist Church, Monticello Black River – *Samuel “Jake” Guenrich, pastor, First Baptist Church, Walnut Ridge Buckner – Gary Martin, pastor, Fellowship Baptist Church, Huntington Caddo River – *Ty Huitt, pastor, Lake Ouachita Baptist Church, Mount Ida Calvary – Tommy Miller, pastor, Union Valley Baptist Church, Beebe Caroline – *Ralph Mashburn, layperson, member Lonoke Baptist Church, Lonoke Central – Manley Beasley, Jr., pastor, Hot Springs Baptist Church, Hot Springs Central – *Mike Pounders, associate pastor, First Baptist Church, Hot Springs Clear Creek – *Ted Darling, pastor, First Baptist Church, Ozark Concord – Ronnie Deal, pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenwood Concord – *Greg Ford, minister of missions, First Baptist Church, Fort Smith Diamond Lakes – Teddy Hill, Jr., pastor, Mill Creek Baptist Church, Hot Springs Faulkner – *Paul Hudson, pastor, OneChurch, Conway Greene County – Phillip Miller, pastor, Eastside Baptist Church, Paragould Harmony – *Todd Howard, pastor, Watson Chapel Baptist Church, Pine Bluff Independence – *Joe Shell, worship leader, West Baptist Church, Batesville Liberty – *Doug Wills, pastor, First Baptist Church, Norphlet Mount Zion – Ed Gillham, associational missionary, Mount Zion Baptist Association, Jonesboro Mount Zion – Mike Hart, education minister, Nettleton Baptist Church, Jonesboro North Central – *Eddie Morgan, layperson, member First Baptist Church, Clinton North Pulaski – *Marty Watson, pastor, Baring Cross Baptist Church, Sherwood Northwest – Steve Abbott, pastor, First Baptist Church, Siloam Springs Northwest – *Wes George, pastor, First Baptist Church, Rogers Northwest – Johnny Harp, pastor, Lakeview Baptist Church, Cave Springs Northwest – Mike McDaniel, pastor, Grace Point Church, Bentonville Ouachita – Russell Threet, pastor, First Baptist Church, Mena Pulaski – Dave Hughey, pastor, Geyer Springs First Baptist Church, Little Rock Southwest – *Craig Jenkins, pastor, Beech Street First Baptist Church, Texarkana Tri-County – Rob Rash, layperson, member First Baptist Church, Marion Washington Madison – *Eric

Howerton, pastor, Black Oak Baptist Church, Fayetteville Washington Madison – *Lisa Wheat, children’s minister, Grand Avenue Baptist Church, Fort Smith District 1 – *Vicki Bedford, worship leader, Rocky Branch Baptist Church, Rogers District 6 – *Nathalia Burleson, layperson, member First Baptist Church, Cabot

Baptist Church, Warren *Laurie Seabaugh – layperson, member Central Baptist Church, Magnolia

Term to Expire in 2017 Centennial – Mike Dodson, layman, member First Baptist Church, DeWitt White River – James “Tad” Rodgers, Jr., pastor, First Baptist Church, Mountain Home

Term to Expire in 2019 *Mary Pat Anthony – layperson, member First Baptist Church, El Dorado Clay Conly – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Rogers *Jay Heflin – layperson, member Second Baptist Church, Little Rock Taylor King – layperson, member Second Baptist Church, Arkadelphia *Richard Lusby – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Jonesboro *John McCallum – pastor, First Baptist Church, Hot Springs Ginger Morgan – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Clinton *James E. Young – layperson, member First Baptist Church, McGehee

Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries Term to Expire in 2019 Josh Bryant – adult discipleship associate, First Baptist Church, Rogers *Bob Hall – pastor, First Baptist Church, Beebe Jay Jones – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Monticello Sharon Jones – layperson, member Second Baptist Church, Arkadelphia *Karen Reynolds – layperson, member Hot Springs Baptist Church, Hot Springs *Phillip W. Smith – pastor, First Baptist Church, Bentonville Arkansas Baptist Foundation Term to Expire in 2019 Jay Shell – layperson, member West Baptist Church, Batesville *Wendell Stratton – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Stuttgart Celia Thompkins – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Rogers Jeff Thompson – associational missionary, Concord Baptist Association, Fort Smith Jeff Williams – pastor, Second Baptist Church, Conway Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine Term to Expire in 2019 S.D. Hacker – associational missionary, Rocky Bayou Baptist Association, Franklin – District 2 *Mike Vinson – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Corning – District 3 *Mike Sheets – layperson, member Cornerstone Baptist Church, Texarkana – District 7 Larry Killian – worship and discipleship pastor, Parker’s Chapel First Baptist Church, El Dorado – District 8 Mike McCoy – associational missionary, Black River Baptist Association, Hoxie – Member at Large Camp Siloam (Arkansas Baptist Assembly) Term to Expire in 2019 Greg Greenway – pastor, Southside Baptist Church, Stuttgart *Ed Hicks – layperson, member Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock *Randall James – layperson, Union Valley Baptist Church, Beebe *Russell Rhoden – pastor, First

Term to Expire in 2017 Kelton Hays – layperson, member Geyer Springs First Baptist Church, Little Rock Ouachita Baptist University

Term to Expire in 2018 Susan Wamble – layperson, member Watson Chapel Baptist Church, Pine Bluff Judge John Ward – layperson, member Park Hill Baptist Church, North Little Rock Williams Baptist College Term to Expire in 2019 Carol BedfordLewallen – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Pocahontas *Ken Brunt – layperson, member First Southern Baptist Church, Bryant Brenda Doty – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Salem *Clint Emfinger – layperson, member Crosby Baptist Church, Searcy *Sue McGowan – layperson, member East Side Baptist Church, Paragould *Heather Moore – layperson, member Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Cabot *Larry Singleton – layperson, member East Side Baptist Church, Paragould Sarah Shell Teague – layperson, member First Baptist Church, El Dorado Baptist Memorial Health care Corporation, Memphis, TN Term to Expire in 2019 *Jeff Green – layperson, member

Central Baptist Church, Jonesboro Jackie McBride – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Jonesboro *Dale Morris – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Forrest City

2017 Convention Sermon

Term to Expire in 2017 Don Underwood II – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Marion

2016 Convention Nominating Committee

Constitution and By-laws Committee Term to Expire in 2019 Sam Roberts – pastor, First Baptist Church, Stuttgart Greg Sykes – pastor, First Baptist Church, Russellville Convention Program Committee Term to Expire in 2019 Mark Dewbre – administrative pastor, Park Hill Baptist Church, North Little Rock Future Site for the Annual Meeting October 26-27, 2021 – First Baptist Church, Rogers

Preacher – Craig Collier, pastor, Mount Pisgah Baptist Church, Jacksonville Alternate – Tracy Wilson, pastor, Three Trees Cowboy Church, Wynne

Bill Bowen – interim pastor, First Baptist Church, Ozark Kelly Jones – pastor, First Baptist Church, Harrisburg Ralph Mashburn – layman, member Lonoke Baptist Church, Lonoke J. D. Neeley – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Camden Jeff Paxton – pastor, First Baptist Church, Dover Don Phillips – pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Camden Phillip Smith – pastor, First Baptist Church, Bentonville Paul White – layperson, member First Baptist Church, Benton Brian Whitney – pastor, First Baptist Church, Searcy Sam Roberts – pastor, First Baptist Church, Stuttgart; Ex-officio member Greg Sykes – pastor, First Baptist Church, Russellville; Ex-officio member *Denotes second term

Visit arkansasbaptist.org for annual meeting coverage!

12

Across Arkansas

September 22, 2016

Obituaries

Church life

Clyta Agee McAtee Gentry, 96, died Sept. 9.

She was a graduate of Texas Women’s University in Denton, Texas with a bachelor Gentry in library science. She received a master’s degree in library science from Delta State University in Cleveland, Miss.

Gentry was the widow of Delbert McAtee who pastored churches in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Alabama.

Arkansas pastorates included Second Baptist, Pine Bluff; Immanuel Baptist, Fort Smith; First Baptist, Smackover; Trinity Baptist, Texarkana, and Second Baptist, Forrest City.

Gentry was a retired school librarian.

Her second husband, William Roland Gentry, Jr., died in 2006.

She had recently joined the Daughters of the American Revolution, Watauga Chapter, in Memphis, Tenn.

Sur vivors include her daughter, Marilyn McAtee McVeigh, two grandsons and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Sept. 12 at Covenant Baptist Church in Collierville, Tenn., where she was a charter member.

Interment was at Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, Tenn.

Green Meadows Baptist Church, Pine Bluff, will hold revival services Sept. 25-28.

Sunday services are at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., and 7 p.m. Monday-Wednesday. Monta Kellebrew of McGehee will be the speaker.

Valley Baptist Church, Searcy, will hold revival services Sept. 2528, with evangelist Bob Pitman from Muscle Shoals, Ala., and Charles Billingsley, worship leader from Pitman Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Va. Sunday services are 8 and 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., and 7 p.m. Monday-Wednesday.

First Baptist Church, Pine Bluff, will hold a fall revival Oct. 2-4, which coincides with the church’s 163rd anniversary. Services are at 10:50 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, and 7 p.m.

Monday-Tuesday.

Alicia Baptist Church, Alicia, will hold revival services on Oct. 2-5 with Herb Wilson speaking, and worship leaders Dan and Sue Haygood. Sunday services are at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., and 7 p.m. MondayWednesday.

ONE DAY MISSIONS – The North Pulaski Baptist Association (NPBA), based in North Little Rock, held an Acts 1:8 One Day event throughout the Jacksonville area Sept. 10. Volunteers from multiple churches within the NPBA held block parties, prayer walked, did yard work, offered a free car wash and did other outreach activities during the event. Photo by Caleb Yarbrough Will McKay is serving as pastor of First Baptist Church, Monticello, coming from Memphis, Tenn.

Dustin Meadows is serving

as pastor of Morning Star Baptist Church, Marshall.

Jordan Ferris is serving as pastor of Central Baptist Church, Pine Bluff.

On the move Jason Ingram is serving as pastor of First Baptist Church, Mountain View, coming from Arlington, Texas.

Classifieds PASTOR First Southern Baptist Church, Bearden, AR, is seeking a full-time/bi-vocational pastor. Send letter/resume to PO Box 449, Bearden, AR 71720, or visit www.fsbcbearden. com. ATTN: Pastor Search Committee.

Potosi Southern Baptist Church is seeking a full-time pastor for a mission minded church affiliated with SBC and MBC. Please respond by November 1, 2016. Mail resume to: Search Committee 10165 West State Highway 8 Potosi, Mo. 63664 or PSBCPastorSearch@gmail. com.

First Baptist Church, Vandervoort, in Ouachita Baptist Association, is accepting resumes for full-time pastor. Email resume to beckie. apple@tyson.com.

First Baptist Church of Heber Springs is in search for a senior pastor. Please send

resume with references to: Search Team, First Baptist Church of Heber Springs, 201 N. 4th St., Heber Springs, AR 72543 Email: fbcheber@ gmail.com.

Accepting applications for bi-vocational pastor. Resume to Emmanuel Baptist, 4315 NCR 535, Blytheville, AR 72315.

FBC Bellefonte is searching for a bi-vocational pastor. We are a fundamental, conservative, traditional worship rural church in the Ozarks. Send resume to jpeslinger@icloud.com.

Portland Baptist Church, Portland, AR, is seeking a full-time pastor. Send letter/ resume to Emory Austin, 779 Ashley 192 Rd., Montrose, AR 71658 or e-mail to jimmiesadler@ att.net. ATTN: Pastor Search Committee.

FBC accepting applications full-time pastor. Letter/resume to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 789, Marshall, AR 72650 email: mfbcoffice@gmail.com.

First Baptist Church, Gillham, is seeking a full-time pastor. Please send resumes to Pastor Search Committee, c/o Vona McKinley, 332 Pendergrass Road, Horatio, AR 71842.

OTHER STAFF POSITIONS Part-time janitor needed: 20 hours per week at Sylvan Hills FBC. Call John Shelton at 501-690-4107.

Cornerstone Baptist Church is seeking a fulltime youth minister. Please send resumes to 3900 Union Road, Texarkana, AR 71854 or e-mail to csbaptist@aol.com.

FBC Canton (TX), a growing congregation with a Christ-centered vision, needs full-time youth minister. Seeking a man with 3 yrs. experience (preferred) to be part of our vision for growth. Send resume/references to libby@ firstcanton.com. Open through Sept. 30, 2016.

Looking to fill a staff position at your church?

Bald Knob Central Baptist Church needing part-time music minister. All inquiries and resumes are to be addressed to jamiem@ weaverbailey.com.

Beebe First Baptist Church is accepting resumes for a full-time minister of music and education. Please send resume to PO Box 67, Beebe, AR 72012 or email bhall@fbcbeebe.com.

Cocklebur Baptist in Ward is seeking a bi-vocational church worship leader. Applicants would need to be available for Sunday and Wednesday evening worship services. All resumes need to be submitted by October 15, 2016, to: cbc4138@gmail.com.

Small church needs music director. Sundays only. Contact sulliglenda@yahoo.com if interested.

Soaring Wings Christian Home and Ranch seeks a Christian couple as full-time house

parents to provide long-term care for seven to 10 children, including own, in a Christ-centered home. For more information, email jason@ soaringwingsranch.com or visit www.swranch. org.

Bear Creek Springs Baptist Church is seeking a full-time student pastor.

Those interested should send a resume to Bear Creek Springs Baptist Church, Attn: Senior Pastor, 179 Devito Loop, Harrison, AR 72601.

Check out the new and improved ABN website at arkansasbaptist.org

Visit arkansasbaptist.org/ad to submit your classified!

ABSC Annual Meeting 13

www.arkansasbaptist.org

RECOMMENDATIONS continued from page 10

RECOMMENDATION NO. 3: AMEND THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION FOR ARKANSAS BAPTIST FOUNDATION The Executive Board of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention recommends the proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporations for the Arkansas Baptist Foundation.

Current: EIGHTH: The principal office or place of business of this Corporation shall be located at Suite 402, Superior Federal Building, Capitol & Broadway, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201. Amended Request: EIGHTH: The principal office or place of business of this Corporation shall be located at Suite 153, Arkansas Baptist State Convention Building, 10 Remington Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas 72204.

Current: NINTH: The name and address of the registered agent of this Corporation is W. David Moore, Suite 402, Superior Federal Building, Capitol & Broadway, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201. Amended Request: NINTH: The name and address of the registered agent of this Corporation is Bobby Thomas, Suite 153, Arkansas Baptist State Convention Building, 10 Remington Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas 72204.

RECOMMENDATION NO. 4: AMEND THE BYLAWS FOR ARKANSAS BAPTIST FOUNDATION The Executive Board of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention recommends the proposed amendments to the Bylaws for the Arkansas Baptist Foundation.

Current: ARTICLE III. BOARD OF DIRECTORS SECTION 5. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at the offices of the Corporation without other notice than this bylaw on the first Thursday in the months of February, May, August, and November at the hour of 10:00 a.m., or at such other place and time as may be provided upon notice given pursuant to Section 7 below. If the day fixed for a regular meeting shall be a legal holiday in the State of Arkansas, such meeting shall be held on the next succeeding business day.

SECTION 7. Notice. Notice of any special meeting shall be given at least two (2) days previously thereto by written notice delivered personally or mailed to each Director at his business address, or by facsimile transmission. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail so addressed, with postage thereon prepaid. If notice be given by facsimile transmission, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered upon dispatch. Any Director may waive notice of any meeting. The attendance of a Director at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a Director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

Amended Request: ARTICLE III. BOARD OF DIRECTORS SECTION 5. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at the offices of the Corporation on the second Thursday in the months of February, May, August, and November at the hour of 10:00 a.m., or at such other date, place and time as may be provided upon notice given pursuant to Section 7 below. If the day fixed for a regular meeting shall be a legal holiday in the State of Arkansas, such meeting shall be held on the next succeeding business day.

SECTION 7. Notice. Notice of any special meeting shall be given at least two (2) days previously thereto by written notice delivered personally or mailed to each Director at his business address, or by facsimile transmission. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United States mail so addressed, with postage thereon prepaid. If notice be given by facsimile transmission, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered upon dispatch. Any Director may waive notice of any meeting. The attendance of a Director at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a Director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

Current: ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS SECTION 6. Vice-Chairman. In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman is to preside over all meetings of the Director. The Vice-Chairman also shall serve as Chairman of the Budget Planning.

See RECOMMENDATIONS page 14

MARIJUANA continued from page 3

‘patients’ in Colorado were 25-40-year-old males, usually in the peak of health,” said Page.

“This may be about legitimate medical marijuana, if there is such a thing for some patients, but for a large majority it’s about growing and smoking marijuana, and largely not regulated because the regulation would simply not be possible.

“I’m not denying that opiates and other drugs are not a problem. … We are over-medicated as a nation, no question about it. But, given the problems we have with that, why would we add another dangerous drug, and one that is even less regulated than the opiates are?” asked Page. “We simply want to get the science right on this.”

Contact Caleb Yarbrough at caleb@arkansasbaptist.org. Visit arkansasbaptist.org/abn-podcast to listen to ABN Podcast 54.

14

ABSC Annual Meeting

RECOMMENDATIONS continued from page 13

September 22, 2016

Amended Request: ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS SECTION 6. Vice-Chairman. In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman is to preside over all meetings of the Directors.

The Vice-Chairman also shall serve as Chairman of the Operating Committee.

RECOMMENDATION NO. 5: 2018-2022 COOPERATIVE PROGRAM UNIFIED BUDGET FORMULA OF THE ARKANSAS BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION I. Budget

The budget shall be based and governed by a weighted average of the ratio between the six month increase (or decrease) and the yearly increase (or decrease) for the three preceding years. The Executive Board, upon recommendation coming out of the budget planning process, can alter the dollar amount of the total budget plus or minus ten percent (10%), taking into consideration the economic forecast.

II. Southern Baptist Convention Causes

The percent increase for Southern Baptist Convention causes shall be 2.05% for the five year budget formula period. 1.05% of the increase shall immediately come from the Executive Board in 2018. The remaining increase shall come from the Arkansas Baptist State Convention agencies and institutions with .50% of the increase from the Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine and the other .50% allocated by equal percentage reduction to the other agencies and institutions of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. The increase from the agencies and institutions amounts to a .2% increase to the SBC each year of the five year budget formula period.

III. State Causes

A) The Arkansas Baptist Children’s Homes and Family Ministries, the Arkansas Baptist Foundation, the Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine, Camp Siloam, Christian Higher Education, and Executive Board programs shall receive an increase in their respective Cooperative Program allocations equal to the percentage increase in the amount allocated above the prior year. If the state distribution is a decrease from the prior year, then all shall receive an equal percentage reduction equal to the percentage reduced to the state portion of the Cooperative Program distribution.

B) State CP funds for Christian Higher Education shall be distributed to Ouachita Baptist University and Williams Baptist College as follows: Each school shall receive 50% of their 2017 CP Budget as a base of funding. The balance of Christian Higher Education budget funds shall be pooled and allocated on a Full Time Equivalency (FTE) basis. FTE shall be determined by the most recent Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) available at the US Department of Education website.

IV. Overages

All Cooperative Program funds received that exceed the annual budget shall be divided between the International Mission Board and the Arkansas Baptist State Convention at the end of the state convention’s fiscal year. The amount to the International Mission Board shall be 50% of the overage and the Arkansas Baptist State Convention shall get 50%. The amount allocated to the state convention shall be distributed to each state entity in the budget formula at the same ratio as funds distributed from budgeted receipts.

V. New Programs or Ministries

In keeping with the Unified Budget concept, the funding of new or additional programs or ministry changes approved by the Convention in annual session shall be accomplished by subtracting the new program or ministry cost from the total of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention budget for the year the new program or ministry goes into effect. The remainder of the budget in that year will be distributed by the current budget formula. This results in all Arkansas Baptist State Convention agencies, institutions, the Executive Board, and the Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program sharing proportionately in the cost of the new program or ministry.

The amount for the new program or ministry will be added to the budget of the appropriate entity in the succeeding year. This total then becomes the new budget base for future increases or decreases.

VI. Motions to Alter this Financial Plan

Motions made by messengers at the annual state Convention dealing with financial support or changes in allocations of funds must be referred to the Executive Board of the Convention and the trustees of the appropriate agency or institution and reported to the next Convention in annual session.

VII.

Budget Formula Period This formula will be operative beginning in the budget year 2018 through the budget year 2022 at which time a review will be made by the Executive Board.

VIII. Cooperative Program Promotion in Arkansas

During the budget formula period (2018 through 2022) the Arkansas Baptist State Convention will conduct a comprehensive, statewide promotion of the Cooperative Program, seeking to engage and challenge every church to increase their giving to missions through the Cooperative Program.

Executive Board – Adopted 1964 – Amended, 1972, 1975, 1980 CONVENTION APPROVED – 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, PROPOSED 2016

COMMITTEES

continued from page 10 Cabot David O’Dell, pastor, Second Baptist Church, Jacksonville Margarito Ramirez, Hispanic pastor, First Baptist

Church, Hot Springs Wyman Richardson, pastor, Central Baptist Church, North Little Rock Greg Spann, pastor, Cross Bar C Cowboy Church, Benton Melvin York, pastor, First Baptist Church, Des Arc

Find all the Arkansas Baptist News fit to print and more at arkansasbaptist.org!

www.arkansasbaptist.org October 2, 2016 When I was a teenager I had the that come when Christians and nonprivilege of joining my mother for Bible Christians must live in close relationstudies with a precious group of women ship with one another. The issues are who had left their homes in the Philip- profound, whether it involves husband pines to find jobs. and wife alone or also includes in-laws While away from home, the women and children. Like the women Peter met attractive and addressed in 1 romantic men who Peter 3:1-7, they Explore the Bible swept them off frequently felt attheir feet. There tacked, belittled was only one proband even abused lem. These were for their Chris1 Peter 3:1-12 (NASB) Muslim men. tian faith. They Coming from a wanted to argue background of and defend themCatholicism or nominal selves, and many also Christianity, these women fought for the freedom to had no idea what it meant raise their children in the to be married to an Arab faith.

Muslim. But they found Peter’s words remindout quickly, and the mared them that building a riage was frequently not a relationship was of greatpleasant one. er importance than selfI can imagine that these defense.

Ann Hibbard women would have had Our culture may be East End much in common with different today, but has the women to whom Peter the need for relationship spoke in 1 Peter 3:1-7. Just truly changed? as in the Muslim culture, it was not exWhether in a marriage or in life in pected for women in the first-century general, the way we relate to others Asian culture to hold a religion differ- makes a difference. Peter’s conclusion ent from that of their husbands. So, in 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NASB) is what we what were these Christian women to do must remember, regardless of the nain the home? ture of the relationship: “To sum up, They were to focus on solid relation- all of you be harmonious …” Whether ships with their husbands. in a marriage or with a neighbor, that I saw firsthand the relational issues harmony will win souls.

Living in relationship

Bible Commentary 15

Broken. Failing. Useless. A waste of needs arise. space. That is the current condition of Yet I remind them to make me their the family minivan. It is, for the time second call when things are not quite being, gathering leaves in the driveway. right medically. After all, I can pray, What’s wrong with it? I have no idea. but physicians can operate.

Since the van What has this does not work to do with Roand I cannot fix mans? First, we Bible Studies for Life it, I will have to see that compascall somebody. I sion and love One great commitment have a doctor’s apdo not equate pointment comto ability. The Romans 10:1-3, 8b-13 ing up. I think first verses in our I’ll ask my doctor. passage show us He’s pretty smart.

Paul’s deep comOh, wait. He’s a physipassion for his family, cian, not a mechanic. the people of Israel. But Maybe I could ask anthat compassion and other pastor. Pastors are love do not give him smart, right? the ability to fix their I could list hundreds heart problem. They of professions that I need Someone else to should not call on to call on. fix a van. There is reSecond, and most Doug Hibbard ally only one type of important, we see in East End person I should turn the main passage that to in this case: a mewe have One to call chanic – and one who on Who can do more knows what to do with a Dodge than fix things. He is the One Who Grand Caravan. can save!

Taking this a step further, to someBetter than any mechanic or doctor, thing even more serious, I think Jesus is the One Who can save all who about my church members who call call on Him. me when they are going to have surLet that be the great commitment gery. Like any other pastor, I pray for that we make: to call on Jesus as Lord my church family every day, but I do and Savior. He is able to save all who pray especially when medical trust in Him!

October 9, 2016 We recently welcomed a dog into our but think about him when I read this household. Our new backyard buddy passage. is a well-behaved pet who absolutely What would happen in our relationloves people. He’s smart, and he aims ships with other people if we were always to please. as joyfully ready to interact as Cookie Every time we is? What if, no matopen the back door, ter how we were no matter where in treated, we always Explore the Bible the backyard he may bounced back with be, Cookie comes hope, anticipating bounding to the that this time the 1 Peter 3:13-22 (NASB) porch in joyful andoor may open to ticipation of a nice an opportunity for back rub, a treat and head us to share the truth? scratch, or a game of fetch.

There is no doubt that Unfortunately, we can’t we will be ridiculed. At always give him the atbest, we will be brushed tention he desires. Someaside as an annoyance. times we just need to toss More than likely though, something in the outdoor the response of this world trash can and don’t really will go beyond annoyance have the time to play. He to abusive as our society may show us those puppy continues to reject Christ Ann Hibbard dog eyes as we walk back and His presence within East End inside, but the next time us. the door opens, he’ll rush Peter instructed us to right back, joyfully anticiremain hopeful anyway. pating attention.

He directed us to keep up the godly beI admit, it’s a bit of a cheesy illustra- havior and always be prepared for the tion to use when looking at 1 Peter 3:13- open door.

22. In fact, when we really consider the Yes, the example of a happy dog falls implications of the persecution and ridi- short. But, the image of devotion rings cule Peter was referring to, Cookie’s “suf- true. Will our devotion to Christ keep fering” from lack of people time makes us responding in hopeful readiness, no a pitiful comparison. Yet, I cannot help matter how we’re treated?

Always ready

I once worked for a logistics com- Lord Jesus Christ, where we are to pany. What that really means is that endure whatever is necessary to share I loaded trucks with boxes that this salvation with the world around us? company shipped around the world. We tend to become distracted, lose We called it a logistics company be- focus. We allow other items to cross cause that sounded our minds and fill better than “box our lists.

Bible Studies for Life company.” Every Then we wonday I showed up, der why our One great task clocked in, and churches are stagwent to my two nant, our nation 2 Timothy 2:1-10 trucks to load. I is flailing morally, had one job: make and our children sure the boxes were wander from the loaded. truth. Yet we have filled Anything else I chose to our churches and our lives do could not interfere with with distractions from prothis task. I could mention claiming the gospel. low tires or retape loose Our challenge is quite boxes, but never at the cost direct: let us recover a of loading the right box, focus on proclaiming the right way, in the right the gospel. Yes, we go to truck. work tomorrow, but let Doug Hibbard That was a simple situaus tell people about Jesus East End tion of single-mindedness. while we’re there. Let us I’m certain you can come do the same at the store, up with far more serious the schoolhouse, amidst reasons to be focused on one task. Paul all our activities. Let us examine our does, as he chooses soldiers, athletes church budgets and schedules to enand farmers as examples. We would sure that proclaiming the gospel is the add firefighters and paramedics. Who clear priority! wants to wait for CPR while the paraWhat else do we think we are here medics catch a Pokémon? for? God has placed all of us in the Yet what do we do with the task in lives of those who need Him. Let us be front of us? The one given us by the focused on that task.

16

Bonus Content

September 22, 2016

Williams announces new athletic programs and coaches WALNUT RIDGE – The Williams Baptist College (WBC) athletic department is growing, with four new varsity, and one junior varsity, sports on the way for the 2017-18 school year.

Men’s and women’s swimming, as well as men’s and women’s golf have been added to the varsity sports roster, with a junior varsity men’s basketball squad also set for development.

“We are excited about the opportunity to expand our athletic department. This will give 75 young people the opportunity not only to compete at the collegiate level, but the opportunity to attend our college and receive a Christian education,” said Jeff Rider, WBC’s director of athletics.

Williams also welcomes two new head coaches to the athletic staff. Lee Moore will take the helm of the swimming program, and Ty Jones will serve as the head men’s and

women’s golf coach.

Moore returns to Williams after serving as the head volleyball coach in 2014-15, where he compiled a 19-15 season.

He will begin recruiting for the swimming programs immediately and will also serve as a professor in the physical education department.

“I am excited to be a part of WBC’s brand new swimming program,” said Moore. “I hope to draw athletes from local schools, as well as across the state and country. Our focus will definitely be on pushing athletes to take care of the small things and let the those pieces complete the big team picture. As always, the greatest value of an athletic experience at Williams is the chance to be able to see Christ at the center of all we do.”

The swim team will practice at the Pocahontas Aquatic Center in Pocahontas, located approximately 11 miles from campus.

Jones is a 2010 WBC alum and will resurrect the Eagles golf programs. Williams participated in golf from 19932003, and Jones will now be responsible for bringing back the once promising program.

“I am super excited about the opportunity to coach golf at WBC,” said Jones. “There are a lot of golfers in this area that have the talent to take their game to the next level.

The fact that we are resurrecting a program is going to be a great opportunity for students to step right in and make an impact on Eagles athletics.

I am looking forward to the challenge of recruiting and competing.”

The team will practice at the Rolling Hills Country Club in Pocahontas, located about 14 miles from campus.

“I am thrilled about the leadership that both Coach Lee Moore and Coach Ty Jones will provide for their respective programs. They are a

great fit for Williams and our department,” added Rider.

With the addition of these five programs, the Eagles athletic program will compete in 18 varsity intercollegiate sports and three junior varsity programs. Men’s programs at Williams will now include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming, indoor and outdoor track and field, and wrestling, as well as junior varsity baseball and basketball.

WBC’s expanded roster of women’s varsity sports will include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball, as well as junior varsity softball Williams competes in the American Midwest Conference of the NAIA in all the sports, except for swimming. Swimming does not currently have a conference affiliation.

Former Soviet states increase persecution of Christians UZBEKISTAN (BP) – As Uzbekistan prepares to elect a new president after the death of longtime dictatorial ruler Islam Karimov, Christians in the former Soviet state fear religious persecution will only worsen.

The Open Doors advocacy organization for persecuted Christians already ranks Uzbekistan as the most difficult Central Asian country in which to practice Christianity, but the change in leadership won’t help the estimated 210,000 Christians in the country of 30.4 million people, two pastors and a Protestant layman said in a World Watch Monitor report.

Current prime minister and acting president Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced today (Sept.

16) he will seek the presidency in December amid predictions of a sure victory, the French press agency AFP reported.

“If Mirziyoyev becomes the next president, the persecution of Christians will be even worse,” one pastor said before Mirziyoyev’s announcement, remaining anonymous. “Actually, as it seems, it was he who initiated or was at least involved in the persecution of the Uzbek Protestant church

and converts from a Muslim background.”

In neighboring Turkmenistan, meanwhile, the estimated 95,000 Christians also face heightened oppression, with both countries operating under legalized suppression of religious practice among the mostly Muslim populations.

Government suppression of radical Islam is said to work against all religious practice, including Christianity.

“It is not clear how, but unfortunately Christian believers fall into the category of potential religious extremists,” a Uzbek pastor said.

“The attitude of the [Uzbek] government toward us will not change, no matter who becomes the new leader. Of course, we hope for a better scenario, but we have to be realistic. Our government is always afraid of any manifestation of dissidents.”

An Uzbek layman voiced a similar view. “I don’t expect drastic changes. Christians in Uzbekistan will continue to experience harassment by the government.”

Uzbekistan

Evangelism among non-believers is illegal in Uzbekistan,

where Christians are mostly ethnic minorities. Open Doors ranks Uzbekistan at 15 on its World Watch List 2016 of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, and the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has deemed Uzbekistan a “Country of Particular Concern” since 2005.

According to Open Doors, religious practices of Protestants including Baptists, evangelicals and Pentecostals are considered illegal in Uzbekistan because the groups operate in non-registered buildings.

No Christian church has registered in the past decade, Open Doors said, with Christians facing regular church raids, threats, arrests and fines.

In June, Uzbekistan strengthened existing restrictions and punishments against individuals exercising freedom of religion and freedom of expression, including Christians and Muslims, Forum 18 reported. Changes include longer jail terms; a ban on the production, storage or distribution of religious literature; and increased restrictions on the use of mass media, telecommunications and the internet, Forum 18 said.

Before the laws were strengthened, Uzbekistan already pressured churches and parents to prevent children under the age of 16 from attending religious services of any kind, Forum 18 said.

An unnamed Open Doors expert on Central Asia told Word Watch Monitor it is “unlikely that there will be any major changes for the better for the persecuted Uzbek church. Do we want religious freedom to come? Many Uzbek Christians would surely say ‘Yes’! But [whether] the situation will improve, we don’t know.”

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan has amended its constitution to lift any restrictions on the president’s length of service, World Watch Monitor reported Sept.

14. Previously, presidents had to retire at age 70. There, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has erected a golden statue of himself and is becoming known as “Arkadag” or protector of all Turkmens.

The country has about a dozen registered churches, Open Doors estimates, and the smaller population of only 5.4 million people makes it

easier for the government to enforce religious restrictions, one Christian told World Watch Monitor. Imprisonment, brutality and fines are employed.

Most ethnic Turkmens refuse to associate with Russian Orthodox churches, leaving them few legal options to practice their faith.

“Non-registered religious activity is illegal …. Even registered religious communities face regular check-up visits,” according to Open Doors 2016 World Watch List, which ranks Turkmenistan 19 among the 50 countries where it is most difficult to practice Christianity.

“There is strict control by the government and local authorities over the Turkmen population, and all communication is being monitored,” Open Doors said of the country. “Publishing and distributing religious literature is prohibited, and its import is monitored and censored. There is no Christian bookshop in the country.”

Other former Soviet states on the 2016 World Watch List are Tajikistan, ranked 31; Azerbaijan, ranked 34; and Kazakhstan, 42.

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